Received some RAM as a gift - is it good stuff?

[xboxist]

1024MB DDR SDRAM AT 400MHZ - 2X512MB,TIE

That's what the description said on the order's receipt from Dell. Somone bought this for me as a college graduation gift. (Wierd, I know... but not going to complain)

So I was wondering, how does it stack up to what else is out there? Thanks!

 

[imported_Pablo]

I'll give you 50 bucks for it

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Would you happen to know what brand? Even if you don't, it should be good stuff considering its from dell.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: PabloMartinez
I'll give you 50 bucks for it

55, hehe

 

[xboxist]

heh... I appreciate the offers...

But I was looking for how the actual type of RAM stands up to other types, since I don't know much about RAM in general. In other words, what's "better"? (brand names aside)

 

[ScrapSilicon]

do you have actual physical possession of said memory modules..? if so the memory chips usually have very fine markings that are usually decipherable as to manufacturer and other info..if you post them up...we will look them up usually...

 

[xboxist]

I don't have them yet... all I have is the given description from the order confirmation.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

The order confirmation should tell you the product number or something to identify that product. Once you give us that, it will be easy to look it up.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

well...went thru 75 items in memory at Dell...only 400 products were RDram ones..let us know when you get them..

 

[xboxist]

hehe... ok, I don't have the slip right this second. Maybe I should just clarify moreso what exactly I'm looking to hear from you guys... =)

I just want to know how that "size" of ram is? Like... where it stacks up against... SDRAM, PC2700, 400 mhz... etc... assume I don't know anything about RAM. I just want an idea of how my RAM compares to others as far as that goes... (disregard name-brands for now).

Anyway... I appreciate all of the responses...

 

[ElFenix]

well, the size is 1024 megabytes, or 1 gigabyte, in 2 512 megabyte sticks.

the speed according to the line you posted is pc3200 ddr.

 

[Markfw]

I think you will find that it is DDR PC3200, but I have no idea what the timings would be (CAS 2.5,CAS2.0, etc..)

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
I think you will find that it is DDR PC3200, but I have no idea what the timings would be (CAS 2.5,CAS2.0, etc..)

probably 3.0 because thats whats manufactured by samsung. the 3200C2 corsair stuff is all hand picked, and dell doesn't carry that sort of thing.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
well, the size is 1024 megabytes, or 1 gigabyte, in 2 512 megabyte sticks.

the speed according to the line you posted is pc3200 ddr.

Ok, great! Now we're getting somewhere... see, I didn't know that translation. Well, I knew that it meant a gig of RAM... but I didn't know how to convert into pcXX00. So what's better/faster than pc3200 ddr?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: xboxist

Originally posted by: ElFenix
well, the size is 1024 megabytes, or 1 gigabyte, in 2 512 megabyte sticks.

the speed according to the line you posted is pc3200 ddr.

Ok, great! Now we're getting somewhere... see, I didn't know that translation. Well, I knew that it meant a gig of RAM... but I didn't know how to convert into pcXX00. So what's better/faster than pc3200 ddr?

well theres "pc3500" being sold but that is really just hand-picked pc3200 or pc2700 chips that are overclocked. the pc3200 should be actual 5 nanosecond chips. basically for sdram every 100MHz is 800 megabytes/second of data transfer. this ram runs at 400MHz (physical 200MHz clock that xfers twice a cycle) so 4*800 = 3200.

 

[xboxist]

wow... that's some serious math. I appreciate that. I think I'm finally content.

 

[ElFenix]

i'm not sure that there is a JEDEC aaproved pc3200 spec right now though... but samsung is marketing sticks of 5ns chips as pc3200... they're not overclocked and samsung is likely to get its way at the JEDEC meeting but the final spec could end up with more strict timings than what samsung is currently manufacturing.

this is sorta reminiscent of the via apollo 133 chipsets that came out a few years ago... they were using "pc133" which was 133 mhz ram but the final JEDEC spec was a bit more strict than what via required for its chipsets.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Your RAM stands pretty high. Unless your overclocking or anything, it won't make a difference. What CPU are you using? If your using an Intel P4 533mhz FSB chip with ram slower than 400mhz (PC3200), then replacing the ram with the new one will make a difference.